US8889462B2 - Photovoltaic solar cells - Google Patents

Photovoltaic solar cells Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US8889462B2
US8889462B2 US13/128,742 US200913128742A US8889462B2 US 8889462 B2 US8889462 B2 US 8889462B2 US 200913128742 A US200913128742 A US 200913128742A US 8889462 B2 US8889462 B2 US 8889462B2
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
rear surface
doped region
wafer
passivation layer
solar cell
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active, expires
Application number
US13/128,742
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
US20110214721A1 (en
Inventor
Humayun Akhter Mughal
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SILICON CPV PLC
Original Assignee
SILICON CPV PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SILICON CPV PLC filed Critical SILICON CPV PLC
Assigned to SILICON CPV PLC reassignment SILICON CPV PLC ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MUGHAL, HUMAYUN AKHTER
Publication of US20110214721A1 publication Critical patent/US20110214721A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US8889462B2 publication Critical patent/US8889462B2/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Adjusted expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
    • H10F19/00—Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one photovoltaic cell covered by group H10F10/00, e.g. photovoltaic modules
    • H10F19/40—Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one photovoltaic cell covered by group H10F10/00, e.g. photovoltaic modules comprising photovoltaic cells in a mechanically stacked configuration
    • H01L31/1804—
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
    • H10F71/00—Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass
    • H10F71/121—The active layers comprising only Group IV materials
    • H01L31/022441—
    • H01L31/03529—
    • H01L31/0682—
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
    • H10F10/00—Individual photovoltaic cells, e.g. solar cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
    • H10F10/00—Individual photovoltaic cells, e.g. solar cells
    • H10F10/10—Individual photovoltaic cells, e.g. solar cells having potential barriers
    • H10F10/14—Photovoltaic cells having only PN homojunction potential barriers
    • H10F10/146—Back-junction photovoltaic cells, e.g. having interdigitated base-emitter regions on the back side
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
    • H10F19/00—Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one photovoltaic cell covered by group H10F10/00, e.g. photovoltaic modules
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
    • H10F71/00—Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
    • H10F77/00—Constructional details of devices covered by this subclass
    • H10F77/10—Semiconductor bodies
    • H10F77/14—Shape of semiconductor bodies; Shapes, relative sizes or dispositions of semiconductor regions within semiconductor bodies
    • H10F77/148—Shapes of potential barriers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
    • H10F77/00—Constructional details of devices covered by this subclass
    • H10F77/20—Electrodes
    • H10F77/206—Electrodes for devices having potential barriers
    • H10F77/211—Electrodes for devices having potential barriers for photovoltaic cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
    • H10F77/00—Constructional details of devices covered by this subclass
    • H10F77/20—Electrodes
    • H10F77/206—Electrodes for devices having potential barriers
    • H10F77/211—Electrodes for devices having potential barriers for photovoltaic cells
    • H10F77/219—Arrangements for electrodes of back-contact photovoltaic cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H10—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H10F—INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
    • H10F77/00—Constructional details of devices covered by this subclass
    • H10F77/93—Interconnections
    • H10F77/933—Interconnections for devices having potential barriers
    • H10F77/935—Interconnections for devices having potential barriers for photovoltaic devices or modules
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/52—PV systems with concentrators
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/547—Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P70/00—Climate change mitigation technologies in the production process for final industrial or consumer products
    • Y02P70/50—Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to photovoltaic solar cells.
  • this invention concerns rear contact concentrated photovoltaic solar cells developed using deep grooved rear contact (DGRC) technology.
  • DGRC deep grooved rear contact
  • Solar cells convert light directly into electricity.
  • a typical solar cell uses semiconductors doped to create n-type and p-type regions. The absorption of sunlight causes the electrons within the cell to move to a higher energy state. Electrodes are applied to both surfaces of the semiconductor device, connecting the solar cell to an external circuit. The movement of the higher energy electrons from the solar cell to the external circuit causes the electrons to dissipate their energy in the external circuit and then return to the solar cell.
  • the semiconductor is silicon in either monocrystalline or polycrystalline form with the base material being p-type and a shallow n-type layer formed on the front surface.
  • the light exposed electrode is usually a grid to allow the maximum amount of light into the solar cell and is normally composed of silver.
  • the back surface layer is usually a continuous metal layer, normally aluminium.
  • the intensity of light falling on a solar cell is known as the “number of suns”, where 1 sun corresponds to standard illumination at 1 kW/m 2 .
  • Solar cells which operate under illumination greater than 1 sun are known as concentrators.
  • Concentrator solar cells focus or guide the sunlight using optical elements to provide a high intensity light beam on a small solar cell.
  • the advantage of concentrator solar cells is that they have a higher efficiency potential than 1 sun solar cells and are more cost effective.
  • the efficiency benefits of concentration may be reduced by increased losses in series resistance as the current density increases with concentration and also by the increased temperature operation of the solar cell. High series resistance can cause power loss in concentrator solar cells.
  • LGBC laser grooved buried contact
  • the back surface comprises a continuous film of aluminium alloyed to the silicon semiconductor. As with the front surface, the back surface aluminium film is plated with nickel and copper layers to form the base electrode.
  • LGBC cells provide significant benefits over more conventional types of solar cell.
  • the LGBC solar cell structure gives a solar cell efficiency of 18% under standard test conditions, namely, when a typical groove separation distance of 1.5 mm is used with a Czochralski grown monocrystalline wafer of thickness typically 220 ⁇ m. If the groove separation distance is reduced to between 250-500 ⁇ m, the LGBC cell can be used with focussed sunlight with an intensity of up to 100 times that of normal sunlight. With a correctly designed cell an efficiency of up to 19% can be achieved with the standard process at 100 times concentration for active solar cell areas of 1 to 4 cm 2 . As the cost of the solar cell is essentially the same as for 1 sun use this represents a major cost saving.
  • the solar cell can be configured so that the contacts are on the back surface, without an increase in the series resistance of the cell, then a proportionate increase in cell efficiency under concentration is possible.
  • DGRC Deep Grooved Rear Contact
  • a method of forming photovoltaic concentrator solar cells from a semiconductor wafer having a front surface and a rear surface comprising the following steps:
  • the electrical contacts of the first and second doped regions need to be electrically isolated and this may be achieved by scribing the rear surface to isolate the opposing semiconductor type contacts.
  • the electrical contacts may be formed in step (f) by electroless plating. This is a standard method used in the fabrication of solar cells and may comprise one or more of the following sequence of steps:
  • the wafer Before doping of the rear surface in step (a) the wafer may first be cleaned and the surfaces etched to remove any wafer damage.
  • the front surface of the wafer may be textured to reduce surface reflection.
  • Surface texturing is a standard process well known in the industry and is required to reduce reflection loss.
  • the surface is non-planar to enable light, if not initially absorbed by the cell, to be reflected onto another surface.
  • the cell is structured so that the front surface thereof comprises a ‘random pyramid’ texture.
  • the rear surface is doped to produce the first doped region.
  • the doping in step (a) may be accomplished by any suitable method but is preferably achieved by spinning a compound containing the dopant onto the rear surface of the wafer, followed by heating thereof at high temperature to allow the dopant atoms to seep into the rear surface by thermal diffusion. This process requires heating of the rear surface to at least 1000° C. The heating may be provided by a belt furnace or quartz tube furnace. Ideally, the heat is maintained for such time as required to produce a resistance of approximately 100 ⁇ /sq.
  • a passivation layer is grown on the front and back surface. This layer serves not only as an anti-reflection layer but also acts as a mask and reduces recombination velocity.
  • the deposition of the passivation layer in step (b) can be achieved using techniques known in the industry.
  • the passivation layers are preferably formulated to give front and rear surface recombination velocity bellow 500 cm/s.
  • Pulsed lasers may be used to scribe a deep groove for the rear contact. Forming of the groove in step (c) may be achieved by means of standard laser grooving techniques such as laser scribing.
  • the deep groove may also be formed by other means such as mechanical scribing for example with a diamond blade or scribe.
  • the groove may also be formed using jets of high pressure liquid, such as water, or laser microjets which are a combination a pulsed laser in a water jet.
  • the groove should be deep to come within one diffusion length of the front surface of the wafer.
  • a plurality of grooves is formed in step (c) and preferably the grooves are spaced less than two diffusion lengths apart. “Diffusion length” is a term well understood in the art as the distance a carrier will move before it recombines.
  • the groove(s) are cleaned to remove any wafer deposits. This may be performed by any suitable method such as etching.
  • the doping in step (d) provides a second doped region of opposed semiconductor type to that of the first doped region.
  • a second doped region in the groove is used herein to mean that the doped region is formed at the surface of the groove, in the same way as the first doped region is formed at the rear of the wafer in step (a).
  • the passivation layer of the rear surface acts as a mask, preventing diffusion of the second dopant therein and confining the diffusion to the grooved area only.
  • the groove(s) should be diffused to a junction depth to give a sheet resistance of less than 100 ⁇ /sq.
  • Junction depth is a term understood within the art to mean the depth (measured from the surface) of the plane in p-n junction at which concentration of acceptors is equal to the concentration of donors.
  • step (e) An opening is formed in step (e) through the back surface passivation layer to allow contact with the first doped region of the rear surface.
  • This may be achieved by any suitable method (or combination of methods) such as laser cutting, water jet cutting, mechanical scribing or by using screen printed etchant for the passivation layer.
  • a plurality of openings is formed in step (e).
  • the first doped region is of opposed semiconductor type as compared to the second doped region.
  • the first doped region may be of opposed semiconductor type to the wafer, but ideally, the wafer and first doped region are of the same semiconductor type.
  • the first doped region may be an n + type doped region, but preferably is a p ++ type doped region.
  • one wafer is used to produce a plurality of solar cells, with each solar cell comprising a plurality of grooves and openings.
  • each solar cell comprising a plurality of grooves and openings.
  • the concentrator solar cell preferably has a plurality of grooves and openings in the rear surface thereof, which may have electrical contacts formed therein.
  • the passivation layer may comprise a thin silicon oxide film of a suitable thickness, such as 10 nm. This may be followed by another suitable material such as LPCVD (low pressure chemical vapour deposition) silicon nitride. A suitable thickness of silicon nitride, in this case, would be around 80 nm. Other combinations of material such as alternating layers of amorphous silicon carbide and silicon oxide may be used.
  • the suitable passivation layer material may be deposited on the wafer at low temperature in a PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition) reactor.
  • the first doped region of the solar cell may be negatively doped, but it is preferred, however, that the first doped region is a p ++ type doped region.
  • a suitable dopant source material is boron, but of course any material suitable for producing the required diffusion may be used.
  • the second doped region be of opposed semiconductor type to that of the first source material and as such the second doped region is preferably an n + type doped region.
  • Any suitable n + type dopant material, such as phosphorus may be used to produce the second doped region. If the groove is produced by a method that includes a water jet, it is possible for the dopant to be applied to the second doped region by including it in the water of the jet.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art LGBC solar cell
  • FIGS. 2A to 2F illustrate sequentially a process in accordance with the method of the present invention for making a deep grooved rear contact (DGRC) photovoltaic concentrator solar cell;
  • DGRC deep grooved rear contact
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a first embodiment of photovoltaic concentrator solar cell of the present invention
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a simplified view of the rear contacts of the photovoltaic concentrator solar cell of FIG. 3 ;
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of photovoltaic concentrator solar cell of the present invention.
  • a section of a standard prior art front contact laser grooved buried contact solar cell is illustrated and it generally comprises a semiconductor wafer 10 having a front surface 11 and a rear surface 12 .
  • the wafer material comprises a p-type base and a shallow n-type top layer. Initially the wafer is cleaned, usually chemically and then etched to remove any damage caused by sawing of the semiconductor material.
  • the front surface 11 is then textured to produce an array 13 of random or irregular pyramid structures. This texturing enables any light which is not initially absorbed into the cell to be “trapped” so that it is not reflected off the surface 11 .
  • the wafer 10 is doped by diffusion therein of a suitable dopant to produce a p+-type doped region 18 at the base.
  • the front surface 11 is provided with an antireflection coating 14 such as silicon nitride to further reduce reflection.
  • Grooves 15 are formed by means of a laser through the antireflection coating 14 into the wafer at the front surface 11 .
  • the grooves 15 are usually etched to clean any excess fragments.
  • the surface is again subject to diffusion to create an n+-type doped region 17 .
  • This diffusion is restricted by the nitride antireflective coating 14 to the regions that have been cut by the laser.
  • An aluminium layer (not shown) is then evaporated onto the rear surface 12 of the wafer and then sintered.
  • the front 11 and rear surfaces 12 are then electrolessly plated to form a nickel layer 19 followed by copper and silver which is deposited in order to form the contacts.
  • the antireflective nitride coating 14 restricts the plating on the front surface to the grooves 15 .
  • the front contact of this section of the LGBC cell has two grooves 15 .
  • a number of grooves 15 are required on the cell surface 11 in order to achieve a high level of concentration.
  • the metallization in the grooves 15 shades the surface 11 and reduces the efficiency of the solar cell by reflecting light away from the surface 11 .
  • FIG. 2A to 2F illustrates the sequence of steps required in order to form the DGRC photovoltaic solar cell of FIG. 3 and are in accordance with the method of the present invention.
  • the semiconductor wafer 25 is cleaned and then textured by standard methods to form a pyramid structure 28 on the front surface 26 .
  • the wafer comprises a p-type layer 24 and a shallow n-type layer 23 at the front surface.
  • the rear surface 27 is then doped by standard methods to produce a 100 ⁇ /square p ++ type doped region 29 . This is accomplished by spinning on a suitable dopant source material and heating to approximately 1000° C. in a belt furnace or quartz tube furnace until the desired 100 ⁇ /square diffusion is achieved.
  • the dopant atoms disperse into the rear surface 27 of the wafer 25 by thermal diffusion. If the groove is produced by a method that includes a water jet, it is possible for the dopant to be applied to the second doped region by including it in the water of the jet. This can remove or reduce the need to heat the wafer, because the heat generated by the cutting can be enough to permit the introduction of the dopant from the water into the material of the wafer.
  • passivation layers 30 are deposited on the front 26 and rear surface 27 .
  • This layer serves as an antireflection layer for the front surface 26 , to prevent light being reflected away from the front surface 26 .
  • the passivation layer 30 also serves as a mask for the rear surface 27 , which will be explained in more detail below.
  • the passivation layers 30 also serve to reduce the recombination velocity of the electrons in the solar cell and are formulated to give a front 26 and rear 27 surface recombination velocity below 500 cm/s.
  • Standard laser grooving or laser micro-jetting technologies using pulsed lasers are used to scribe deep laser grooves 31 in the rear surface 27 , as shown in FIG. 2C , for the rear contact.
  • the grooves may be formed by other means.
  • the grooves 15 are required to come within one diffusion length of the front surface 26 and adjacent grooves preferably need to be less than two diffusion lengths apart.
  • the grooves of a typical Czochralski wafer of 200 ⁇ m thickness should be approximately 150 ⁇ m deep and separated by approximately 300 ⁇ m.
  • These grooves 31 are etched to remove any surplus wafer particles and the rear surface 27 is then doped again to produce an n ++ second doped region 32 .
  • the doping may be with phosphorus using standard techniques.
  • the passivation layer 30 applied to the rear surface 27 acts as a mask such that during this second doping process the permeation into the wafer occurs only in the grooves 31 .
  • the diffusion into the material around the grooves 31 should be to a junction depth to give a sheet resistance of less than 10 ⁇ /square.
  • a via 33 is then opened through the rear surface passivation layer 30 to allow contact to the p++ doped region 29 of the rear surface 27 . This is achieved by laser scribing the passivation layer 30 .
  • FIG. 2E illustrates the standard plating 34 sequence used in the standard solar cell of FIG. 1 .
  • Nickel is electrolessly deposited on the rear surface 27 and it is then sintered, followed by electroless copper deposition. Silver is then passivated on the copper surface. This process fills the vias 33 to form p-type contacts 38 and fills the grooves 31 to form the n-type contacts 37 .
  • the rear surface 27 is then scribed or etched to form breaks 35 that isolate the electrical contacts 37 from the p-type contacts 38 .
  • This isolation scribe step is accomplished using standard technology.
  • the photovoltaic solar cell of the present invention formed by the method above can be seen in FIG. 3 .
  • the wafer 25 comprises a p-type layer 24 adjacent a rear surface 27 and a shallow n-type layer 23 at a front surface 26 .
  • the front surface 26 is textured to give a pyramid style structure 28 which reduces reflection of the incoming light.
  • the rear surface 27 of the wafer 25 is doped with boron to produce a first p + doped region 29 .
  • the boron dopant seeps into the cell surface 27 by thermal diffusion.
  • the front 26 and rear surfaces 27 have an antireflection passivation layer 30 thereon.
  • Grooves are formed in the rear surface 27 through the passivation layer 30 and a second doped region 32 is formed around the grooves by doping with phosphorus to produce an n + doped region.
  • the grooves 31 are filled with nickel, copper and silver to provide the n-type electrical contacts 37 .
  • P-type electrical contacts 38 are also formed from nickel, copper and silver deposited into shallow channels cut through the rear passivation layer. These contacts 37 38 are isolated from each other by breaks scribed onto the rear surface after the deposition of the metal material.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic representation of the rear surface 27 of the solar cell illustrated in FIG. 3 . As shown, the n-type contact 37 is isolated from the p-type contact 38 . The contacts of each type are linked together.
  • FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of photovoltaic concentrator solar cell that is similar to that described above with like parts given like reference numerals.
  • the p-type contacts 40 are much larger than those described above.
  • the vias formed pass not only through the rear passivation layer 30 but deep into (and possible all the way through) the first p ++ doped region 29 .
  • such vias are more in the form of second grooves, which like the first grooves may be further doped during or after formation.
  • the larger area of the p-type contacts reduces the both contact and series resistance.

Landscapes

  • Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
US13/128,742 2008-11-12 2009-11-12 Photovoltaic solar cells Active 2031-11-03 US8889462B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB0820684.9A GB0820684D0 (en) 2008-11-12 2008-11-12 Photovoltaic solar cells
GB0820684.9 2008-11-12
PCT/GB2009/051528 WO2010055346A2 (en) 2008-11-12 2009-11-12 Photovoltaic solar cells

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20110214721A1 US20110214721A1 (en) 2011-09-08
US8889462B2 true US8889462B2 (en) 2014-11-18

Family

ID=40139786

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/128,742 Active 2031-11-03 US8889462B2 (en) 2008-11-12 2009-11-12 Photovoltaic solar cells

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US8889462B2 (enExample)
EP (1) EP2356687B1 (enExample)
JP (1) JP5503668B2 (enExample)
KR (1) KR101561682B1 (enExample)
CN (1) CN102246324B (enExample)
GB (2) GB0820684D0 (enExample)
WO (1) WO2010055346A2 (enExample)

Families Citing this family (37)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2356689A4 (en) * 2008-11-26 2013-11-20 Microlink Devices Inc SOLAR CELL WITH BACK WAY FOR CONTACT TO EMITTER LAYER
US20110195542A1 (en) * 2010-02-05 2011-08-11 E-Chem Enterprise Corp. Method of providing solar cell electrode by electroless plating and an activator used therein
JP2011210802A (ja) * 2010-03-29 2011-10-20 Napura:Kk 太陽電池
CN102569491B (zh) * 2010-12-17 2014-07-23 上海凯世通半导体有限公司 太阳能晶片的掺杂方法以及掺杂晶片
CN102637766B (zh) * 2011-02-15 2014-04-30 上海凯世通半导体有限公司 太阳能晶片掺杂方法、掺杂晶片、太阳能电池及制作方法
CN102569492B (zh) * 2010-12-17 2014-11-05 上海凯世通半导体有限公司 太阳能晶片的掺杂方法以及掺杂晶片
CN102637767B (zh) * 2011-02-15 2015-03-18 上海凯世通半导体有限公司 太阳能电池的制作方法以及太阳能电池
US9559228B2 (en) * 2011-09-30 2017-01-31 Sunpower Corporation Solar cell with doped groove regions separated by ridges
US9269851B2 (en) * 2011-11-15 2016-02-23 Newsouth Innovations Pty Limited Metal contact scheme for solar cells
US20140345685A1 (en) * 2011-12-13 2014-11-27 Dow Corning Corporation Photovoltaic Cell And Method Of Forming The Same
TWI470816B (zh) * 2011-12-28 2015-01-21 Au Optronics Corp 太陽能電池
CN103208557A (zh) * 2012-01-13 2013-07-17 上海凯世通半导体有限公司 太阳能电池的制作方法及太阳能电池
CN103325666A (zh) * 2012-03-21 2013-09-25 苏州贝克微电子有限公司 半导体晶圆掺杂扩散技术
CN102623564B (zh) * 2012-03-30 2015-01-07 中山大学 一种具有激光开槽正面电极的晶体硅太阳电池的制作方法
CN102738288A (zh) * 2012-06-20 2012-10-17 常州天合光能有限公司 非晶硅钝化n型背接触电池及其制备方法
CN102832270A (zh) * 2012-08-16 2012-12-19 友达光电股份有限公司 太阳能电池及其制作方法
CN102856328B (zh) * 2012-10-10 2015-06-10 友达光电股份有限公司 太阳能电池及其制作方法
CN102881737A (zh) * 2012-10-15 2013-01-16 浙江正泰太阳能科技有限公司 体结背接触太阳能电池
CN102903775B (zh) * 2012-10-24 2014-10-22 中国科学院半导体研究所 用于聚光和激光输能的晶体硅太阳能电池结构及其制作方法
WO2014137284A1 (en) * 2013-03-05 2014-09-12 Trina Solar Energy Development Pte Ltd Method of fabricating a solar cell
TW201442261A (zh) * 2013-04-30 2014-11-01 Terasolar Energy Materials Corp 矽晶太陽能電池的製造方法以及矽晶太陽能電池
CN103794679B (zh) * 2014-01-26 2016-07-06 晶澳（扬州）太阳能科技有限公司 一种背接触太阳能电池的制备方法
US20160284917A1 (en) * 2015-03-27 2016-09-29 Seung Bum Rim Passivation Layer for Solar Cells
WO2017146214A1 (ja) * 2016-02-26 2017-08-31 京セラ株式会社 太陽電池素子
TWI668876B (zh) * 2017-08-29 2019-08-11 柯作同 太陽能電池及其製造方法
WO2019102073A1 (en) * 2017-11-24 2019-05-31 Aalto-Korkeakoulusäätiö Sr Photovoltaic semiconductor structure
US11081606B2 (en) * 2018-12-27 2021-08-03 Solarpaint Ltd. Flexible and rollable photovoltaic cell having enhanced properties of mechanical impact absorption
US11978815B2 (en) 2018-12-27 2024-05-07 Solarpaint Ltd. Flexible photovoltaic cell, and methods and systems of producing it
EP4226427A4 (en) * 2020-10-07 2024-11-06 Solarpaint Ltd. FLEXIBLE SOLAR PANELS AND PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES AND METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF
CN114695594B (zh) * 2020-12-30 2024-11-15 苏州阿特斯阳光电力科技有限公司 背接触电池的制备方法及背接触电池
CN121078843A (zh) * 2021-06-04 2025-12-05 浙江爱旭太阳能科技有限公司 一种选择性接触区域掩埋型太阳能电池及其背面接触结构
CN113964222B (zh) * 2021-10-15 2023-11-10 浙江大学 一种低漏电的晶体硅太阳能电池片、电池组件及制备方法
CN113964223B (zh) * 2021-10-15 2023-11-10 浙江大学 一种抑制切割边缘漏电的晶体硅太阳能电池片、电池组件及制备方法
CN115084299B (zh) * 2022-06-23 2024-10-01 广东爱旭科技有限公司 一种p型太阳能电池及其制作方法、电池组件和光伏系统
CN115000214B (zh) * 2022-06-23 2024-03-29 浙江爱旭太阳能科技有限公司 一种p型太阳能电池及其制作方法、电池组件和光伏系统
CN115000247B (zh) * 2022-07-29 2022-11-04 中国华能集团清洁能源技术研究院有限公司 内部钝化的背接触perc电池片的制作方法
CN118943223A (zh) * 2024-07-24 2024-11-12 浙江爱旭太阳能科技有限公司 一种太阳能电池、电池组件及光伏系统

Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4703553A (en) 1986-06-16 1987-11-03 Spectrolab, Inc. Drive through doping process for manufacturing low back surface recombination solar cells
US4838952A (en) 1988-04-29 1989-06-13 Spectrolab, Inc. Controlled reflectance solar cell
US5053083A (en) 1989-05-08 1991-10-01 The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University Bilevel contact solar cells
KR100372343B1 (ko) 2000-12-22 2003-02-15 엘지전자 주식회사 넘버.세븐 신호망에서의 폐기 메시지 관리 방법
KR100378343B1 (ko) 1996-01-09 2003-07-18 삼성전자주식회사 후면 함몰전극형 태양전지
WO2005106966A1 (en) 2004-04-30 2005-11-10 Unisearch Limited Artificial amorphous semiconductors and applications to solar cells
JP2007059644A (ja) 2005-08-25 2007-03-08 Toyota Motor Corp 光起電力素子
WO2007126441A2 (en) 2005-12-16 2007-11-08 Bp Corporation North America Inc. Back-contact photovoltaic cells
US7339110B1 (en) 2003-04-10 2008-03-04 Sunpower Corporation Solar cell and method of manufacture
CN201112399Y (zh) 2007-09-27 2008-09-10 江苏林洋新能源有限公司 具有浓硼浓磷扩散结构的太阳能电池

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0682854B2 (ja) * 1989-11-24 1994-10-19 株式会社日立製作所 太陽電池
JP2001267610A (ja) * 2000-03-17 2001-09-28 Hitachi Ltd 太陽電池
US7217883B2 (en) * 2001-11-26 2007-05-15 Shell Solar Gmbh Manufacturing a solar cell with backside contacts
US7169669B2 (en) * 2001-12-04 2007-01-30 Origin Energy Solar Pty. Ltd. Method of making thin silicon sheets for solar cells
JP2005310830A (ja) * 2004-04-16 2005-11-04 Sharp Corp 太陽電池および太陽電池の製造方法
JP4641858B2 (ja) * 2005-04-22 2011-03-02 シャープ株式会社 太陽電池
JP4481869B2 (ja) * 2005-04-26 2010-06-16 信越半導体株式会社 太陽電池の製造方法及び太陽電池並びに半導体装置の製造方法
JP2009152222A (ja) * 2006-10-27 2009-07-09 Kyocera Corp 太陽電池素子の製造方法
CN101017858A (zh) * 2007-01-10 2007-08-15 北京市太阳能研究所有限公司 一种背接触式太阳能电池及其制作方法

Patent Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4703553A (en) 1986-06-16 1987-11-03 Spectrolab, Inc. Drive through doping process for manufacturing low back surface recombination solar cells
US4838952A (en) 1988-04-29 1989-06-13 Spectrolab, Inc. Controlled reflectance solar cell
US5053083A (en) 1989-05-08 1991-10-01 The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University Bilevel contact solar cells
KR100378343B1 (ko) 1996-01-09 2003-07-18 삼성전자주식회사 후면 함몰전극형 태양전지
KR100372343B1 (ko) 2000-12-22 2003-02-15 엘지전자 주식회사 넘버.세븐 신호망에서의 폐기 메시지 관리 방법
US7339110B1 (en) 2003-04-10 2008-03-04 Sunpower Corporation Solar cell and method of manufacture
WO2005106966A1 (en) 2004-04-30 2005-11-10 Unisearch Limited Artificial amorphous semiconductors and applications to solar cells
JP2007059644A (ja) 2005-08-25 2007-03-08 Toyota Motor Corp 光起電力素子
WO2007126441A2 (en) 2005-12-16 2007-11-08 Bp Corporation North America Inc. Back-contact photovoltaic cells
CN201112399Y (zh) 2007-09-27 2008-09-10 江苏林洋新能源有限公司 具有浓硼浓磷扩散结构的太阳能电池

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2466342A (en) 2010-06-23
US20110214721A1 (en) 2011-09-08
EP2356687B1 (en) 2016-10-12
KR20110097827A (ko) 2011-08-31
GB2466342B (en) 2013-07-17
CN102246324B (zh) 2015-07-29
KR101561682B1 (ko) 2015-10-20
GB0919795D0 (en) 2009-12-30
JP2012508473A (ja) 2012-04-05
JP5503668B2 (ja) 2014-05-28
CN102246324A (zh) 2011-11-16
WO2010055346A2 (en) 2010-05-20
EP2356687A2 (en) 2011-08-17
GB0820684D0 (en) 2008-12-17
WO2010055346A3 (en) 2011-03-31

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US8889462B2 (en) Photovoltaic solar cells
US8481847B2 (en) Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same
US5449626A (en) Method for manufacture of a solar cell
US8569614B2 (en) Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same
US20070295399A1 (en) Back-Contact Photovoltaic Cells
US9705017B2 (en) Nanostructured silicon based solar cells and methods to produce nanostructured silicon based solar cells
EP3297038B1 (en) Solar cell
US20070137692A1 (en) Back-Contact Photovoltaic Cells
US20120225515A1 (en) Laser doping techniques for high-efficiency crystalline semiconductor solar cells
US20100229928A1 (en) Back-contact photovoltaic cell comprising a thin lamina having a superstrate receiver element
US20100024880A1 (en) Solar cell and method for manufacturing the same
KR20130052627A (ko) 선택적 전면 필드를 구비한 후면 접합 태양전지
US20130164883A1 (en) Laser annealing applications in high-efficiency solar cells
US20170194519A1 (en) Solar cell element
EP2757596B1 (en) Method for solar cell manufacturing
KR101198438B1 (ko) 양면 수광형 국부화 에미터 태양전지 및 그 제조 방법
CN120239367B (zh) 太阳能电池片及其制备方法和光伏组件
KR20110060130A (ko) 태양전지 제조 시의 선택적 에미터 형성 방법
KR101199649B1 (ko) 국부화 에미터 태양전지 및 그 제조 방법
KR101218411B1 (ko) 태양전지 및 그 제조 방법

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: SILICON CPV PLC, UNITED KINGDOM

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MUGHAL, HUMAYUN AKHTER;REEL/FRAME:026261/0203

Effective date: 20110510

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 4TH YR, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M2551)

Year of fee payment: 4

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 8TH YR, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M2552); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 8